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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. -G. M. STERNBERG.

ELECTRIC VALVE CONTROLLER.

No. 373,104. Patented Nov. 15, '1887.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' (NoMoael.) G. M. STERNBERG.

ELECTRIC VALVE CONTROLLER.

Patented Nov. 15, 1887.

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` s UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea..

GEORGE M. STERNBERG, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

ELECTRIC VALVE-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,104, dated November 15, 1887.

Application filed April 5, 1887.

T @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. STERNBERG, 0f the United States Army, temporarily residing in the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Valve- Operating Devices, of which th'e following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in valve-operating mechanism; and it consists, essentially, in 'a device of the class named, constructed and operating substantially in the manner hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar letters and figures of reference denote similar parts in the several views.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevationof a valveoperating device constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is atop plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transversesectional view taken on the line as, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken through the cock which controls the passage to the diaphragm. Fig. 6 is a transverse Fig. 7 shows the turning-plug shown in Fig. 6 in another position. Fig. 8 is a View showing a modification of the packing devices, and Fig.

' 9 illustrates a modified form of diaphragm.

In the present embodiment of my invention I show a valve-casing, 1, provided with inlet and outlet ports 2 and 3, communicating, respectively, with the supply and delivery pipes ofa heating system, and I provide one of said ports, 2, with a seat to receive a throttlevalve, 4, the stem 5 of which extends through a stuffing-box, 6, on the casing 1, and is connccted Within a casing, 7, which is supported from the casing l to a diaphragm, 8, which divides the space within said .casing 7 into an upper and a lower chamber, 9 and 10, respectively, as shown. y I provide the casing 7 upon its top with a centrally-arranged boss having a conical-shaped chamber, 11, which communicates through an opening, 12, with the chamber 9 above the diaphragm S, and through openings 13 and 14 and channel 15 (formed in the wall of said boss and partially surrounding the chamber 11 therein) with a pipe, 16, which extends thence to the supplypipe below the valve 4.

Serial No. 5233.777. (No model.) A

I provide the chamber 11 with a balanced three-way cock or turning-plug, 17, which is provided with a transverse bore, 18, that is adapted to register, when desired, with the openings 13 and 14, and an axial bore, 19, which extends from said transverse bore downward and registers at all times with the passage 12 to the chamber 9.

I close the chamber 11 above the turning- 6o plug 17 with a screw -threaded plug, 20, through which the stem 2l of the turning-plug 17 projects to valve-operating mechanism, presently to be explained. A packing, 22, preferably of asbestus, is placed between the plug 20 and a plate, t, whichis supported upon' shoulders t immediately above the turningplug 17, to prevent leakage of duid about the stem21.

By reference to the drawings, Figs. 3, 5, and 7o 6, it'will be observed that the chamber 9 is, through the passages 19, 18, and 15 and pipe 16, in communication with the main supplypipe below the throttlevalve 4, and that consequently as the area ofthe diaphragm 8 upon 75 the upper end of the valve-stern 5 within said chamber 9 greatly exceeds the area of the valve 4, said valve will be closed down upon its seat by the excess of pressure of the uid upon said diaphragm, and will be maintained 8o in closed position until the plug 17 is turned to move its passages 1S and 19 out of communication with the openings 13 and 14, and into cammunication with an exhaust-port, 23, to permit the escape of tluid from the chamber 9 85 above the diaphragm S. The valve 4 will now be raised through the excess of pressure in the service-pipe below said valve, and will thus permit the passage of fluid through the casing 1 and delivery-pipe to a radiator or other de- 9o vice not shown herein.

The plug 17 is automatically turned by the rise and fall beyond predetermined limits of the temperature in the room wherein the radiator is located, and-to this end I employ mech- 9 5 anism, which Iwill now describe.

To one side of the casing 7 is connected, by suitable supports, a frame, 24, comprising disks 25 26, held in parallel planes by studs 27, and I extend the stern 21 of t-he plug through said Ico disks, and provide said stem `between said disks with a spur gear-wheel, 28, which is engaged and rotated by a spur-pinion, 29, which is mounted upon a shaft, 30, journaled in the disks 25 and 26, and carrying a spur gearwheel, 31, that is engaged by a spur -pinion 32, on a shaft, 33, which is also journaled in the disks 25 and 26, and carries a ratchetwheel, 34, the teeth of which are engaged by a spring-pressed pawl, 35, that is pivoted to an outwardly spring-pressed rock-arm, 36, projecting from a rock-shaft, 37, having bearings in the disks 25 and 26.

The shaft 37 is provided with asecond rockarm, 38, which carries an armature, 39, that operates within the magnetic field of an electromagnet, 40, which is secured to a bracket, 4l, extending between the disks 25 and 26.

One ofthe terminal wires, m, of the magnet 40 is connected to a binding-post, 42, which is insulated from the disks 26, and is connected by a conductor, 43, with a battery, 44, which battery is in turn connected by a conductor, 45, with a thermostat, 46. The remaining terminal wire, n, of the magnet 40 is connected to a bracket, 47, which is insulated from the disk 25, and to which is pivoted a rock-arm, 48, the free end of which is provided with a contact-piece, 49, normally held by a spring, 50, in contact with a similar contact-piece, 51, l on the rock-arm 36, which arm is in electric contact with the disks 25 and 26 through its shaft 3i'.

Upon the stein 2l of the turningplug 17, and above the spur gear-wheel 28 thereon, I secure a circuit-breakingwheel, 52, having its periphery provided with alternating insulated and contact spaces 53 and 54. Brushes 55 and 56, which project from binding-posts 57 58, bear upon the wheel 52, and are alternately in contact with the spaces 53 54 thereof. The binding-posts 57 58 are secured to insulatingblocks 59, ailixed to the disk 26, and are connected, respectively, by conductors 60 and 61 with supports 62 63, which carry adjustingscrews 6465, adapted to alternately contact with the thermostat 46. A pawl, 66, serves to prevent backward rotation of the ratchet 34.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be observed that the free end of the rock-arm 36 projects considerably beyond its point of contact with the rock-arm 48, and that it carries near its end an insulating-block, 67, which, when said arm 36 is drawn forward by the magnet 40, is brought into contact with thearm 48 at a point nearthe pivot of said latter arm, and operates to suddenly break the electric contact between the arms 36 48 at the moment the armature 39 contacts with the magnet 40, and thus permits said magnet to swing the said arm 36 and its attached pawl through a greater distance and with greater force than would be the case were such contact-breaking device of ordinary construction.

The upper surface of the disk 26 is provided with a spring, 67X, controlled by a screw, 68, and carrying at its free end a block, 69, which bears upon the upper end of the valve-stem 21 to maintain the valve or plug 17, connected to said stem, downward upon its seat. JAstop, 70, limits the swing of the rock-arm 36.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Assuming the device to be connected with the supply-pipe of a steam-radiator and the valve 4 to have been closed to stop thei'low of steam to the radiator and to cause a Vfall of tempera.4 ture in the room containing such radiator, when the temperature, in falling, has reached a predetermined degree the upper free end of the thermostat 46 will be brought into contact with the screw 64, thereby closing the circuit from the battery 44 through the thermostat, conductor 60, post 57, brush 55, (which now bears upon one of the metallic spaces, 54-,of the circuit-breaking wheel 52,) wheel 52, disk 26, shaft 37, rock-arms 36 48, bracket 47, and terminal wire n to the magnet 40, thence through the terminal wire m, biudingpost 42, and conductor 43 to the battery 44. By the passage of the current the magnet 40 will 'be energized and caused to attract the armature 39 forward, which will, through the arm 38 and shaft 37. swing the arm 36 forward, and through the pawl 35 and train of gear operated by said pawl rotate the turning-plug 17. lIhe rock-arm 36 will continue to move forward until the insulating-block 67 thereof is brought into contact with the rockarm 48, and the circuit through the parts named thereby broken, the arm 36 resuming (through its controlling spring) its normal position against the stop 70, to be again moved forward by the attraction of the magnet, as above described. The baek-and-forth movement of the arm 36, and consequent rotation of plug 17, as described, will continue until the brush 55 is brought into contact with one of the insulated spaccs,53,of the circuit-breaking wheel 52, at which time the passages 18 and 19 of the said plug 17 will bein communication with the exhaust-port 23, hereinbefore referred to, thus permitting the escape of fluid from the chamber 9 above the diaphragm 8 and the raising of the valve 4 through the excess of pressure in the supply-pipe over that in said chamber 9. Steam or other heated fluids will now circulate through the deliverypipe and radiator, and will continue so todo until the rising temliierature moves the thermostat into contact with the screw 65, and thus through the conductor 6l lestablish circuit through thc magnet 46 and its connected mechanism, whereupon the turning-plug 17 will be again turned to bring its passages and the chamber 9 into communication with the supply-pipe through the pipe 16 and the openings 13 and 14 therefrom, whereupon the fluid will fiow into said chamber 9,'and will, through the excess oi pressure upon the diaphragm therein over that exerted upon the valve 4, close said valve upon it seat and stop the ilow of fluid to the radiator.

If desired, devices may be connected to the thermostat to maintain the circuit through the IIO parts named (until said circuit is broken through the medium of the wheel 52) should contact between the thermostat and screws 64 or 65 be broken befoge the plug 17 has been turned to the desired degree, one form of such devices beinglshown in Patent No. 355,895, granted January 11, 1887, to myself andA. A. Lehmann.

The spring 67X above the turning-plug 17 may be dispensed with, and 'in lieu thereof steam or other fluid may be admitted through a suitable port, 71, formed in said plug to the space between said plug and the plate t, (see Fig. 8,) to maintain said plug in contact with its seat.

It will be'observed that the plug 17 is balanced, and hence but little power is required to operate it.

If desired, t-he diaphragm may be corrugated, as shown in lfig. 9.

It isevident that the main val ve et may be operated by the admission to the chamber 9 above diaphragm 8 of af fluid under pressure from asource independent of the main snpply-pipe 2, in which case the connections between said chamber 9 and supply-pipe are dispensed with.

Modifications in detail of construction may be made in the within-described invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof. I therefore do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

I claim" 1. The combination, with a main valve and its actuatingdiaphragm, of a rotating plug or valve controlling movements ofthediaphragm, a stem connected to said valve, a battery, a magnet and its armature operated thereby, a circuit-breaker, whereby the magnet is i11termittently energized, and mechanical connections between the magnet and armature and said valVestem, whereby the valve is rotated by a step-by-step motion, substantially as described.

' 2. The combination, with a main Valve and its actuating-diaphragm, of a rotating plug or valve controlling the movement of said diaphragm, a stem connected to said valve, a circuit-breaking wheel upon said stem, amagnet, a battery and connections between said circuit-breaking wheel, magnet, and battery, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a main valve, its actuatingdiaphragm, and a balanced plug or valve controlling the movement of said diaphragm, of a magnet, a battery, a thermostat, and electrical connections including a circuitbreaking wheel, and an arm arranged to intermittentlyinterrupt the circuit between said magnet, battery, and thermostat, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a iiuid supply pipe, a reciprocating valvecontrolling passage through said pipe, and diaphragm controlling the movements of said valve, ofa rotating plug or valve controlling the movements ofsaid diaphragm, a single magnet, its vibrating armature, and connections, substantially as described, between said armature and Valve to impart an intermittent step -by`step movement to the latter when said magnet is energized, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the main valve, its actuatingdiaphragm, a casing inclosing said diaphragm and having a chamber on one Side thereof, a rotary valve controlling the passage to said chamber and mounted in the top wall of the casing, which is there perforated to communicate with the chamber, a magnet, its armature, a battery, and connections between the magnet and battery and between the armature and valve, substantially as described.

6. rlhe combination of the main valve, its actuating-diaphragni, a casing inclosing said diaphragm, arotary valve controlling the passage to the diaphragm, a stem connected to said valve, an electric motor, mechanical connections between the said stem and motor, whereby the valve is rotated in one direction, and means forpreventingrotation of the valve in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the main valve, its actuatingdiaphragm, a casing inclosing said diaphragm, a frame supported upon said casing, consisting of supporting studs or posts and disks arranged parallel to the casing, a rotary valve mounted between the casing and said frame, controlling the passage to the casing, a magnet mounted in said fraaie, a stem connected with the valve projecting into said frame and carrying a driving-wheel, and connections between the magnet and said wheel for rotating the stem and valve. all mounted in said frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a main valve, its operating diaphragm, a rotary valve controlling the movements of the diaphragm, a

magnet, and its armature, of a stem, 21, connected with the valve, a train of gearing driving said stem, a rock-arm, 36, operated by the armature and carrying a pawl which actuates said train of gearing, and also carrying near its end aninsulating-block, 67, a rockarm, 48, normally bearing upon the arm 36, but when the latter is rocked bearing upon insulated block 67, and suitable electric connections including arms 36 and 47, whereby the valve is rotated by a step-bystep motion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Gnonen M. srnnNBnnG.

Vitnesses:

MURRAY Hanson, WILLIAM H. BERRY.

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